Monday, 21 April 2008

Well as a few of you may know I have a couple of new crafty babies in the house. One is my Cuttlebug and the other a Crop-a-Dile ll Big Bite. For those of you who don't know what these gadgets are I will explain.

The Crop-a-dile ll Big Bite is a type of punch that can punch holes in almost anything from paper to leather and even thin sheets of tin as well as set eyelets. This particular one has a 6 inch reach and can be used to punch holes in the middle of a 12" scrapbook page and quietly set eyelets with ease.

I was slightly disappointed with the Crop-a-dile ll because when I used it for the first time the eyelets were not setting straight. Upon inspection I noted the parts were not aligning correctly thus resulting in an incorrectly set eyelet. The pin should be directly in the centre of the base part below it. You can see by the photo below the reason why the eyelets were not being set straight. Fortunately the company I purchased it from (40 mins away from me) exchanged it for another which has been working like a dream.

The Cuttlebug has also been a highly welcomed addition to my craft room and has been getting all the necessary workouts required for all new members! LOL It is a machine designed to make die cut outs and also emboss. It is kind of similar to a pasta machine for want of a better description. What I love about it is that I can make die cuts from paper, card, acetate, fabric and even foil and thin sheets of tin! Dies made by most other companies will also fit the cuttlebug which is a big bonus! You can see some of the shapes I cut out within just a few minutes of unpacking it in this post. This is so easy even kids can use it. Actually there is a version for children named CuttleKids! I have also discovered that EBAY is a fantastic source for dies and embossing folders. The prices are far better than what you pay in a craft store, and that is including the cost of postage! (Actually, just ignore my last comment. I don't want to be bidding against any of you, so don't go and check it out! You do hear me don't you?)

Here is my Something Blue cuttlebug card that I made for a Wedding challenge going on at the moment at the Crafts Beautiful Forum. I made it using a sizzix dress die and a cuttlebug swirls embossing folder. The heart behind the dress I cut out using a Fiskars shape cutter and template. This one would be lovely for a feminine and modern Bridal Shower invitation.

Friday, 18 April 2008

I have made this girls party hat for the Ribbon Challenge over at Tilda and Co. I wanted to create something a little bit different . I used the stamped image sent to me by Susie B and painted her using an aquawash paint pen. I then partially overlaid her with a paper doily spattered with Encore Metallic stamps using a paint brush. This was glued onto a pink card party hat that I traced from an old one. Finally I added the stamped flourishes, false eyelets and ribbons. What do you think of my self designed eyelets? Don't they look like the real thing?Just click on the photos to get a bigger view.

I wasn't too sure how she would turn out, I didn't have much of a plan, but I am glad to say I like it and so does my DD who had to try it on before I could photograph it!

This is the back view with pastel pink organza ribbon, candy pink satin ribbon and gold edged purple satin ribbons trailing down like a princess hat.

By the way I have been giving my new Cuttlebug a workout and I feel a couple of tutorials coming on, so stay tuned.

Saturday, 12 April 2008

Yippee! I have been spoiled. My DH bought me a cuttlebug, dies, embossing folders and a Crop-a-dile Big Bite! It is like Christmas!

Firstly my Cuttlebug is now my newest baby. It is portable, lightweight and so easy to use.

It's amazing! Now I know what all the fuss is about. I tested paper, card, felt and craft foam and all worked really well. In just a few minutes I managed to churn these out...

No scrap of paper will ever be safe again. Especially once my DD finds out how to use it too! I am sure you will be seeing some of the results soon.

Onto my Big Bite. In Australia, most scrapbook stores have it on pre-order still, but I was lucky enough to find a store that actually had 2 in stock! It was only $10 dearer than the smaller Crop-a-dile. Well worth it I think. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but I know I will get heaps of use from it. I will let you know how I go.

Thursday, 10 April 2008

I am still here. My DH has been on holidays and I have had a mini blogging holiday too!Does anyone else have the same problem and you need a blogging break?Truth be told I have not been feeling 100% and I think I also have a touch of blogging block too(like writers block)! Anyhow I have been busy trying to sort my craft and sewing area and I have also been flitting back and forth between a number of different projects. Trust me, this is not a good method of keeping one's crafting table clear, if you know what I mean LOL! One project at a time is probably best if you want to have a clear working space!

Well that is enough babble for now. This is one of the things I have been up to.I received some free papers in a Crafts Beautiful magazine a couple of months ago and finally managed to use them to make this card.

Unfortunately I seem to be having troubles with posting clear photos at the moment. The actual shots are fine, but when they are uploaded they seem to lose their clarity. If you have any tips that can help, I would love to hear from you. I hope you get the idea.

First of all I used my Fiskars texture plates to dry emboss the front of the chocolate coloured card. I then rubbed a bronze and a brown stamp pad over the surface and also the edges. After this I cheated and basically followed the instructions from the magazine. For the strip of pink card at the base I wanted something to match the girl's kimono, but couldn't find any card to match in my stash. Can you guess what I used? It is a paint sample in the perfect shade of pink!

The girl in the kimono is cut and assembled in layers to give a dimensional effect, just like paper tole. This was only my second attempt at paper tole and it was so much fun! I actually found the cutting out quite therapeutic, so I think I will be giving this another go again soon!